My first was a Marlin .30-30. Then I decided I dislike pistol grip stocks on lever guns. I've had a couple Winchester 70's, a .30-06 and a .300 WSM. A couple Remington 700's in .270 and .308 respectively. Sold all of them too. A couple more Marlins, one more .30-30 and a .450. Ditched them both. Also had a Savage Model 10 that I converted from .243 to .358 Win. Sold that one too.

I currently have 3 hunting rifles: a commercial Oberndorf Mauser in .30-06, a Winchester '94 Big Bore in .375 Win and a No 4 Mk I sporter I built as an African light rifle. These 3 guns fit my needs perfectly. The Oberndorf shoots like it's laser guided, but it's a little heavy for a walking around rifle so I carry it when I don't plan on going too far. The '94 is a great rifle that shoots as good as it looks. Lighter and holds more rounds than the Mauser so it's my rifle when I know I'm going to cover some ground. The SMLE was just because I wanted it and could. Kind of still a work in progress. Some day I might add a scoped bolt gun. Maybe a Tikka in 6.5x55. That would be nice.

Started with some sort of articulating 12ga mule-kicking something, went to a Rem 870 mule-kicking thing, to an 11-87 slightly less mule-kicking thing to an Encore Pro Hunter handgun which I still use and now a customized Savage 11 in .243AI.

__________________
Still happily answering to the call-sign Peetza.
---
The problem, as you so eloquently put it, is choice.
-The Architect
-----
He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain what he can not lose.
-Jim Eliott, paraphrasing Philip Henry.

I have probably 20 rifles suitable for deer hunting and I still haven't chosen a favorite. I have 3 riles that I like to shoot more than others, but not all the much more. These are my '09 Argentine in .308 Win with a Boyds thumb-hole stock, H&R Handi rifle in .45-70 with target peep sight and last but not least, a H&R Handi in .25-06 that really needs a better scope.

I still love my other bolt action rifles and my 94 Winchester but lately I lean towards shooting those 3 the most. As center fire rifles goes anyway... Tomorrow might be different. I seem to be getting fickle in my old age.

The OP really got me thinking. Killed my first deer with a Marlin 336 30-30 and had to give up hunting for several years after that. When I started back I was living in TX and knew I needed something with a longer range and bought a Browning A Bolt in 30-06. Killed several with it while living there. Soon afterward I started hunting in So. IL with friends and used a Mossberg 500 12ga with a fully rifled BBL. Killed quite a few with it then upgraded to a Remington 870 with a fully rifled Hastings BBL and a Nikon 2X7 scope. Using Hornady slugs it is a tack driver. This was my 23 year hunting in IL and have used and taken more deer with the 870 than anything else. When I do get the opportunity to hunt closer to home I use a Browning BLR in 308 however, the last deer killed in my home state was killed with a Ten Point Crossbow

Now that I've been long winded about it I could easily say I am quite fond of my 870 slug gun. She has taken everything from 120lb does to multiple 8 & 10pt bucks, all one shot stops (when I do my part).

As for how many hunting rifles, I still own 1-243, 2-270's, 1-7MMRM, 2-308, 2-30-30, 1-32spl, 2-30-06, 1-300WM, 1-375Win, & 1-357MAG and 1-44MAG. Very rarely do I let one go most I've had for years.

13-15, I used a Winchester 670 in .243 for everything. From 16-21, I used a Remington 700 in .30-06 for deer and elk and the .243 for Prognhorn. The last several years, a Weatherby in .338-06 for Deer and Elk and a .260 Remington for Deer and Pronghorn. I also had some years of an 870 with slugs, archery, 10mm and .40 Super in 1911s, .414 SuperMag in an Encore, .41 Mag S&W Revolvers in my 20s.

My favorite rifle, a used Rem. 700 LH .270 Win, was my third rifle purchase. I have used that .270, a Ruger M77 .243 and a Browning A-Bolt SS LH .300 Win Mag to hunt (successfully) black bear, pronghorn, whitetail, mule deer and elk. And I have purchased several additional new or used rifles ranging from .223 to 7mm Rem Mag. However, I have taken most of my deer with a bow or Rem 870 (rifled barrel with sabot slugs in recent years.) This experience covers nearly 40 years.

__________________
Vietnam Veteran ('69-'70)
NRA Life Member
RMEF Life Member

In 45 years of hunting I have found several favorites depending on the demand.I started out with an old 94 win then 336 marlin I borrowed from my parents. I didn't care for the side scope mount on the win. And absolutely loved the marlin. Today I still find it hard to beat a lever 30-30 for 100 yds.and being handy for the user. Takes down deer very effectively. Due; to a kid on a poor paycheck I purchased a used military 303 which wasnt anything to look at but was just as good on deer. Being a kid I soon found a military 8 m m Mauser thinking bigger was better I put a lot of work in the gun. It looked pretty good with the bluing dressed up and a new stock I adapted to it but I wasn't impress with performance on deer. Thinking back it probably had as much to do with limited bullet selection in the early 70 s was the gun and the ballistics weren't great for distance.I saved then traded my 8 m m for a remingtonauto 270 I believe a model either 6400 or 6800. I never was pleased with the groups on factory ammo so I got a savage 110 30-06 which grouped great though the vanilla stock wasn't pretty. I wish I had kept it. Then I got a ruger bolt 7 mag & 280.I was pleased for the most part. They done a good job on mulies and whitetail and was used on some elk hunts. Then the boss was introduced by browning and several I hunt with were having great things to say about the boss. So I traded my Rugers in for win. Mod 70 stainless bosses in 7 mag & 300 mag for long shot grouping . I still have these just for that job. Magnums being overkill for whitetail I now have a Thompson pro hunter stainless fluted bull bbl.25-06 w/ thunbhole camp stock . Fits like a glove and don't see ever lettin it go. I just got a rossi stainless 30-30 that I believe will be my all weather close range handy rifle from now on.

I started with a Marlin in 35 Remington. Then I wanted more range. Got a BAR in 270. Great rifle, but heavy, and I was getting a lot of dust and dirt in it in South Texas, and I wanted to start reloading. Went to a Remington 700 in 270, but it just didn't satisfy me. Was making a few bucks by then, so I sold it and got a Sako AV in 270. OOOO Baby, what a great rifle. Then I just had to have a Tikka in 260 and in Stainless. That's what I mostly hunt with now in Texas.

My first job the owner had a blr 270 and man could he shoot. Every deer in south Texas I seen him take over a couple of years at all ranges 0-300 behind the ear . And he took his full limit of deer. That's the reason I ended up buying a rem. 270 auto that never grouped well. Couldn't t afford a browning . But obviously the right gun in the right hands it can t be beat on whitetail.

Early in the morning I'm just sitting here thinking.
Gee whiz we all had our share haven't we. Holy mackerel near every caliber and gauge in the spectrum has been mentioned.
Since the opening of this thread I never commented of all those I've had which my favorite. I guess I'll say it's all those that I've kept. Each and every one is my favorite. Otherwise they would would be gone. By gone I don't mean being sold or traded. {Stopped doing that quite some time ago.} Just freely given to my son and granddaughters for their pleasure is the usual. It tickles me to be able to do that occasionally.

This email link is to reach site administrators for assistance, if you cannot access TFL via other means. If you are a TFL member and can access TFL, please do not use this link; instead, use the forums (like Questions, Suggestions, and Tech Support) or PM an appropriate mod or admin.

If you are experiencing difficulties posting in the Buy/Sell/Trade subforums of TFL, please read the "sticky" announcement threads at the top of the applicable subforum. If you still feel you are qualified to post in those subforums, please contact "Shane Tuttle" (the mod for that portion of TFL) via Private Message for assistance.

This email contact address is not an "Ask the Firearms Expert" service. Such emails will be ignored. If you have a firearm related question, please register and post it on the forums.